An Unknown Thrill
by Caitlin51
Summary: Loki had always admired her, and now he was finally going to do something about it. Set after Thor: The Dark World. LokixSif
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: So, I am still unsure exactly where this is going, but it's an adventure for me! Please review =)._

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Loki paced along the length of his private chambers, his long green cape fluttering around his calves. His ruse had been successful thus far - no one had suspected the truth about Odin. He should be was out of the picture and he was the uncontested ruler of Asgard; everything he had ever wanted was within his grasp. But for some strange reason, it wasn't enough.

Flashes of midnight black hair gleamed in his mind's eye, but he banished them with a scowl. _No. She is loyal to Thor. She would ruin everything. _Logically, he would forget about her. Logically, he wouldn't put his crazy plan into play. _But logic has no control over a madman, now does it?_

_..._

The shadows hid him from her view. Loki knew that he could always trust in their concealment to shelter him from the spite of others. Concealing himself in darkness was a talent that he had cultivated from childhood, one that had saved him from ridicule and mocking on many occasions.

His attention was transfixed again by the woman in front of him. She was so graceful in all her movements - the double-edged spear she held was truly an extension of her body as she whirled and struck, decapitating yet another training dummy in one smooth movement. The sound of her breath, ragged from the exertion, echoed across the empty training field. They were alone. This was his chance.

"Lady Sif." Striding from the protection offered from the shadows, Loki raised his chin and donned his facade - the arrogant madman, despised by all.

"Loki."

The look of horror on her face at the sight of him beat at his heart, but he hardened it, blocking out the emotions. It was something that he was awfully good at. _Practice makes perfect,_ he thought sardonically as he continued towards Sif.

"How is this possible? Thor saw you die!" Holding her ground, Sif raised her blade threateningly, her cheeks losing all colour. He admired her courage. It was obvious that, in a battle between them, his magic would make him the victor. Yet, she would still defy him.

"Clearly, Thor was incorrect. It has been a while," appraising her head to toe appreciatively, he added, "and quite a shame. You are looking very well."

"What do you want?" The playful nuance appeared to have been lost on her; tension radiated off her lean frame in waves as she stood, poised to strike.

"Oh, who knows?" Loki spread his hands and grinned playfully at her. "Power? Or maybe just a friend?"

"Don't play games with me," Sif grunted. Then, in one fluid motion, she leapt forward and attacked, her spear directed straight towards Loki's heart.

"Nice try," Loki taunted as he swayed out of the way, conjuring a spear identical to hers. Holding it lightly, he tested the balance quickly with a practice thrust. It had been a while since he had been in close combat, but it would go against his purposes to defeat her with his magic.

"You think that I was trying? I'm just testing the waters!" Lunging at him again, her spear made a whistling sound as it swung towards Loki's unprotected head. Tensing, he brought his spear up to block her blow, hearing the noise as the two weapons connected just inches from his nose. Clearly, she was the better fighter - the battle wouldn't last long. Fortunately, Loki didn't need long.

"I came to see you." Parrying another attack, Loki changed the subject, speaking in a conversational tone that was a sharp contrast to his battle stance. "I wanted a chance to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you." Another thrust towards his stomach. This one nearly made contact before Loki was able to dodge out of the way.

"Think, Sif. I could have killed you before you even saw me coming. But I didn't. Why?"

"You're insane. That seems simple enough to me."

The butt of her spear hit his left arm, which immediately began to throb. _Running out of time. _Out loud, he said, "You and I have something in common - we never give up. When we want something, we _will_ get it, no matter the cost." Sif stayed silent, but Loki could tell that he had her attention, even as she continued her assault. "You want to be accepted - the powerful female warrior. Is it so strange that I, too, yearn for acceptance?"

"You must think me stupid to fall for this deception." Scorn coloured her tone.

"Many things, but never stupid." Taking a deep breath, Loki said, "Your parents sent you away - so did mine."

Something flickered across her eyes at his words - compassion. And understanding.

His goal accomplished, Loki summoned his magic at last, using it to bind Sif and render her immobile, frozen with that soft look on her face.

From a secret pocket in his cloak, he drew out a small gold sphere, roughly two inches in diameter. "Forget, dear Sif. At least for now." At a gesture, a stream of fog surged from Sif into the sphere, making it glow for a brief instant. Her memories. Releasing her from his magic, he caught her gently in his arms as she fell, lowering her to the ground unharmed.

_Until next time, my dear._

...

Back in the comfort of his own chamber, Loki resumed his pacing. What he had done had been risky. Still was risky. One false move could ruin everything he had worked for for so long. But if his plan succeeded…

One wave of his pale hand extinguished all the light from the room. All the light except for a small golden sphere, suspended in a tall clear vial, which continued to glow.

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_Please please please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: So, this chapter was written in response to a strange and difficult prompt (an irritating bug, the word 'delicate,' dizziness, and the theme of a fresh start). Anyway, it turned out strange, but hopefully enjoyable!_

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Shivering violently, Loki clenched his hand into a fist. Generally, he didn't turn to violence to release frustration, but right now he really wanted to hit something. How dare some illness attack him? Especially tonight, the night he had prepared to see Sif for the second time since claiming his rightful position as ruler of Asgard. Due to this irritating bug, the plan was going to have to be tweaked ever so slightly. He didn't want her to see him in his weakened state.

_I can make this work, _Loki thought, his mind racing as much as was possible considering it felt like he was sludging through jello. _I just have to be creative._

...

Never before had he seen her looking so peaceful; all the stress and worries were smoothed from her face. In her sleep, she was even more beautiful and much more feminine, with her raven locks spread across her pillow. Delicate had never been a word Loki would have used to describe the warrior, but he felt that it was appropriate in this instance.

Leaning forward, he lightly rested one pale hand on her smooth forehead, gently enough not to wake her up. The magic came easily to him, despite its complexity and his illness. Then, Loki's vision blurred and he felt his consciousness being pulled towards her. Everything faded.

...

The world came into sharp focus as Loki looked around, finding himself on an empty plain that stretched as far as he could see in every direction. Smiling in satisfaction, he strolled in some arbitrary destination. It wouldn't take long before Sif's consciousness noticed him and sucked him to her dream. In the meantime, he would enjoy the the feeling of health. Colds couldn't follow him into the dream world.

It was only a matter of seconds before the landscape start to blur and vanish around him, quickly becoming replaced by what appeared to be Sif's sleeping chamber. Or the dream version of it, anyway. Sif was there, swathed in a huge cloak, her face in shadow. She didn't look surprised to see him. He supposed that anything was possible in a dream.

"Loki," she greeted him coolly.

"Lady Sif," Loki bowed elegantly, his cloak fluttering behind him in response to an unfelt breeze. Suddenly, he felt dizziness overcoming him and he straightened up quickly, gripping onto his power. Sif's mind was stronger than he had expected - she was sucking him in, drawing him into the dream. And in his physically weakened state, it wouldn't be long before she overcame him. _But I can't leave yet. This is an opportunity I can't pass up. _The temptation to see what see what she really felt about him was too overwhelming for him to listen to the voice of caution.

Sif eyed him, slightly wary. "Why are you here?"

"Isn't it clear?"

"No."

The dizziness was becoming worse. "Then allow me to enlighten you." Stepping towards her, he reached out and brushed a lock of her raven hair out of her face. Surprisingly, she didn't flinch away. But the moment of distraction proved to be his undoing - the dizziness intensified, and Loki found himself completely under the control of her dream. Completely vulnerable.

"I don't understand you, Loki," her voice was soft - something that Loki had never before heard. Especially not directed towards him.

"Then I'll show you." Inside, Loki was panicking. He couldn't control his words or actions - his soul was laid bare to her view.

The world around him disappeared, and he and Sif reappeared back in the empty plain. Except it was no longer empty - now there was a large wall directly in front of them; decorated top to bottom with with pictures. Scenes, actually. Shame bubbled up inside of him - every single picture depicted something from his past, something that he was not proud of.

The destruction of Asgard.

The look in Thor's eyes at his betrayal.

His father's pained expression.

His mother's death.

All his fault.

Loki tried to regain control of his magic, tried to flee. But he was stuck there, his shame on display for Sif's curious eyes.

"Why?" Sif broke the silence after a long moment spent studying the images.

"Power. Anger. Loneliness." The words were torn from Loki's mouth.

"I think that it's time that you put that all behind you." The gentle tone in Sif's voice was still unusual to his ears - he knew that if she was awake he would never see this side of her.

"It's not that easy."

A can of white paint appeared beside Sif, two paintbrushes on top. "It just might be, with a little help." She smiled at him, the expression lighting up her face and allowing her radiant beauty to shine through.

The two of them painted the wall in silence for hours. Or was it minutes? Loki couldn't tell - time in dreams moved strangely. They painted until every last image was covered, leaving only a blank wall. A blank canvas.

As Sif painted the last brushstroke, Loki felt an abrupt change - he was back in control of himself, and the dream world was starting to look hazy. _She's waking up,_ he realized, taking hold of his magic and pulling himself back into his own body.

...

Loki clothed himself in darkness and pulled back from the side of Sif's bed just seconds before her eyes flew open and she sat up straight. Immediately, his head started pounding and he again cursed the illness that held him captive.

"Loki?" There was confusion, but also compassion in her voice as she looked around. There was understanding in her eyes - she knew that he had been in her dream. For someone of her strength, it was easy to tell the difference between real dreams and magic-induced dreams.

Silently, Loki conjured a small golden sphere, and, with a deft gesture, drew her memories of the dream into the object. Now was not the time to alert her to his presence. The sphere began to glow as Loki vanished back to his chamber.

...

_That didn't go as planned. _Still sick and shaken, Loki sat on a chair facing the vial that now held two golden spheres. The whole experience had revealed parts of him that he never wanted anyone to see. But somehow, she had understood. Understood that he wasn't that person anymore, that he wanted to be better.

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_Please please please review!_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy and review so that I know you enjoyed it =)._

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"I'm not here to fight." Walking up beside Sif's graceful figure, Loki held up his hands in surrender, hoping not to activate her killer instincts. "And yes, I'm not dead." Before she could speak, he added, "And I'm also not here to cause trouble, as long as you come with me. Quietly."

Hatred filled her eyes, but she followed him in silence. Despite his best efforts to brush her obvious dislike of him aside, the emotion in her gaze wounded him.

"Don't be alarmed, but I'm going to disguise myself." Still, Sif did nothing but scowl at him and raise her slender eyebrows as he surrounded himself with the appearance of a generic Asgardian soldier. They walked through the middle of the palace, no one giving them a second glance. After all, it was hardly unusual for Lady Sif to stride angrily through the intricately gilded corridors.

"Where are we going?" The demand was quiet, but insistent. Sif wasn't one to ever be submissive.

"Somewhere private." Silence reigned again for the remainder of the walk, until Loki reached the small private garden that was their destination. It was early still, and the sun had not yet burned all of the morning fog off the pond - the vapour filled the small enclosure, adding a sense of otherworldliness. Sitting down on the single stone bench facing the still water, Loki patted the space next to him. Then he waited. _Her curiosity will draw her to me, sooner or later. _His assumption proved to be correct, as it was only a matter of moments before she sat down, albeit as far from him as possible.

"Why have you brought me here?" There was no disguising the anger and confusion in her voice. His motives were his secrets, and that had always bothered her, even in their childhood.

Affecting an affable tone, Loki grinned at her, admiring the sunlight gleaming off of her dark hair. "I wanted to share a memory with you. Show you that I'm not all darkness and mystery."

The teasing tone caused Sif to smirk slightly against her will, but she quickly schooled her features. "Make it fast. Talking to you is, technically, treason." As he was the current ruler of Asgard, her statement was incorrect, but he felt that it wasn't the time to debate that issue with her.

"Mmm. I do _so_ like a rebel," he replied instead. Then, returning to his purpose, Loki conjured up a slightly battered snowglobe and cradled it gently in his palms.

Curiosity obviously overwhelmed Sif's desire to keep her distance, because she scooted closer to get a better look. "A snowglobe? Really?"

"Yes, really." Loki gazed at her, forcing himself to open up. "It was a gift from Frigga. My mother."

"Oh." She stared at him expectantly, waiting for the story. The anger had melted from her eyes, and seeing that change was what prompted Loki to continue.

A smile raised the corners of his mouth as he shook the globe and watched the glitter rain down on the miniature replica of the Asgardian palace. The trinket never failed to delight him. "I was young. Just a boy, really," he began, his gaze still fixated on the globe. "It was a gift. I was sad - Thor had done something brilliant, yet again. Father sang his praises." Unable to stop the tinge of bitterness, Loki paused, took a breath, and then continued. "Mother noticed that I slipped out of the feast early and she came to find me." Now he looked up into Sif's eyes, seeing that there was some empathy there. "I was sitting here - this pond, this bench. She gave me the snowglobe to remind me that, even on the worst of days, there is still beauty to be found."

"She was a wise woman."

"She was. And this gift, it is more precious to me than anything else I possess. She believed in me, and from that I derive the most happiness." Grief threatened to overwhelm him, but he fought its grasp. Now was not the time to mourn, not during one of his precious few moments with the woman next to him.

For a long moment, Sif sat there, silent. Then, at last, she put her hand gently on his, her warmth seeping into him. He couldn't tell how long they sat there, but he refused to be the one to break the moment. Eventually, though, Sif stood. "I have to inform Odin of your presence. I'm sorry, Loki." She hesitated, then added, "But maybe he will be lenient."

"I've already worn out your tolerance for treason?" He ignored her last statement and stood too, pulling out a small golden sphere. "One day, I'll let you remember." In response to her confused look, he just pulled her stream of memories into the sphere, then vanished.

...

Back in the solitude of his room, Loki lay on his back in his bed. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the vial. _Three spheres. Maybe, just maybe, if I collect enough, she will trust that I have changed. Maybe._

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_Please review and then I'll update more quickly!_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! Please keep it up - I love hearing that you are enjoying the story =)._

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"Hello, old friend."

"Loki?" She growled the question, her eyes wide with surprise as he materialized next to her.

"The one and only. In recent news, I'm not dead." He announced, his voice grand and booming in the small space. "Now, what is this dismal place?"

She glared at him angrily, one hand on the dagger that she carried always on her left hip, ready to kill him if he so much as twitched, he was sure. "It's the armory."

"Must it smell so...musty?" Walking around the small room, he trailed his finger along a table sporting a variety of shaped shields, drawing a line in the heavy layer of dust on the surface.

"I like it here," Sif replied defensively.

Appraising her with one raised eyebrow, Loki remarked, "I'm sure you do. Who doesn't love a dusty old basement?"

Colour rose to her cheeks, highlighting her fine cheekbones. "Why are you here, Loki?"

"I have something of yours. I thought that perhaps you might want it back. For sentimental reasons."

A look of confusion appeared on her face as he produced a small piece of blue ribbon from under his cloak. "That's not mine."

"You...you mean you don't remember?" There was mock hurt in his voice, masking the real sadness underneath that she didn't remember something so precious to him. "It was when we were kids."

...

"_Loki! Give it back!" Sif clenched her little fists, obviously upset._

"_I have no idea what you are talking about." Loki widened his eyes innocently, then laid back down on the grass and closed his eyes._

"_Yes. You. Do." There was a threatening quality in her voice that Loki completely ignored._

"_What am I supposed to have taken, exactly?"_

"_My hair ribbon!"_

_Opening his eyes and glancing up at her, Loki noticed that her long blond hair was flowing in the breeze - something he had never seen before. Normally she always wore it tied back. "Your hair's fine. Go away."_

"_No," she crossed her arms stubbornly. "Not until you give it back."_

"_Go away."_

"_I know it was you. Only your magic could have taken it without being near me." _

_Her knowing tone of voice irritated Loki, so he sat back up and replied, "Very smart, Sif. Maybe Thor isn't rubbing off on you as much as I thought." He knew that it was mean of him to say, but he hated people acting like they were smarter than him._

"_So you do have it," she crowed._

_Loki shrugged uncaringly. "Want to see something cool?"_

"_No, I just want my ribbon. Now. Or I'll tell Frigga!"_

_That elicited a laugh from Loki. "Go ahead - run and tell my mother. I'll stay here and play with my magic." Reaching for his magic, he created a bunch of coloured firework type explosions, so bright that they left an after-image in his eyes. "Aren't they pretty?"_

"_Argh!" Sif stormed away, leaving Loki to lie back down on the grass and finger the bright blue hair ribbon hidden in his left hand._

_..._

Understanding dawned in Sif's eyes. "I remember that argument," she said slowly. "I was right? You did steal my hair ribbon?"

Loki nodded, absentmindedly fingering the frayed edges of the ribbon. "It was me." It was a relief that she did remember after all, or this meeting would have been a waste of his time.

"Why? And why keep it?" Sif was completely focused on him now.

"To get your attention. And to show off, of course. I was nothing if not vain," he grinned at her. "As to why I kept it…" he took a deep breath. "I have no idea. Sentiment?" He offered the ribbon to Sif, who took it gently in her hands.

She gazed at it for a long moment before saying, "Keep it." Loki accepted it back, feeling her soft skin brush against his with the motion. It meant more to him than he would care to admit that she would return it to him of her own free will. "Did you ever figure out why I was so mad?" she asked curiously.

"No," he shook his head, "that part never made much sense to me. It was just a ribbon."

"I wanted to be a warrior, even from the time I was that young," Sif said, looking past Loki. "But I thought that no one would take me seriously because I was a girl. So I tried to hide my hair by always tying it back. I liked it, though, so I couldn't just cut it off."

"Both of us, always constrained by other's preconceptions," Loki muttered, understanding in his voice.

"I guess so."

The conversation died out at that point, so Loki knew that it was time to go. Reluctantly, he pulled out a small golden sphere and used it to store her memories of their conversation, leaving her frozen.

_Four, now, _he thought, satisfied. _One day I'll get there. One day I'll get her._

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_Please review! I love reviews!_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: I think that this is going to be the second to last chapter in this fic, so I'll pull everything together next chapter. Please read and enjoy!_

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The night was cold - Loki even felt the bitter chill despite his Frost-Giant heritage. And the freezing wind accentuated it even more, cutting through his emerald cloak. No sane person would choose to be outside in this weather, but he wasn't completely sane - he had a mission that consumed his life outside of his kingly responsibilities. He was out looking for Sif, to satisfy his craving for her company.

He knew her well, better than she knew. In their childhood, he would often hang back as Thor and Sif played together, his ever curious eyes watching, evaluating. He knew that she was a creature of habit, and one of her habits was that she always went on a walk at dusk - it was her favourite time of night. Oftentimes, when they were young, Loki would step out of his solitude to accompany her on her nightly stroll.

Suddenly, a spear materialized out of the darkness, halting just a hair from Loki's throat. He was careful not to swallow, as the movement would likely draw blood.

"How are you here?" The hiss was low and just inches from his ear. It was impressive how skilled she was at unseen movement - he hadn't even heard her before she was right next to him.

Shrugging nonchalantly, Loki slowly turned to face her, carefully keeping an eye on her spear. It would ruin all of his plans if she killed him, after all. "Pleased to see me, Sif?"

"That isn't the word I would use."

"A pity. I came to see you, after all."

There was wariness in Sif's eyes as she regarded him. "Why?" He noticed idly that her lips were blue and she was fighting hard not to shiver.

"I always liked joining you on your nightly strolls. Just like old times."

Lowering the spear slightly, he saw some of the tension leave her frame. "I can't trust you, Loki." Her spearpoint hit the ground and she leaned on the staff, sadness mingling with the wariness in her eyes. Her voice dropped. "No matter how much I want to."

He grinned at her charmingly. "I know." Strolling over to the nearby grassy knoll, he sat down and leaned his back against a large tree, its branches bare of leaves due to the frost. "I don't suppose that I could convince you that I've changed?"

"Not without great difficulty." But she joined him anyway, her hand not releasing its grip on her spear.

He approved of her caution - it was one of the things he had always admired about her. Sif wasn't someone who would be tricked by the enemy. Not like Thor.

Glancing over at her, he saw her shiver. Without even pausing for thought, he leaned forward and released the clasp of his cloak, then wrapped it around her shoulders like a blanket. He didn't offer her a word of explanation - he knew that her pride would cause her to be offended if he said anything. He longed to put his arm around her and pull her close, but now was not the time. _Soon - it's not far off._

"I lost a dear friend yesterday."

Surprised to hear Sif volunteer information about her life and emotions, he muttered, "I'm very sorry."

"Thor abandoned us for his mortal. Just like that."

There was a slight twinge in Loki's heart at the mention of his former brother, but he pushed it aside. Instead, he said what he knew Sif needed to hear. "He's confused. I understand his feelings well; he still hasn't figured out who he wants to be and how he is going to get there. Give him some time."

"You think that that will make a difference?"

Loki sighed. This was not how he was hoping he would spend his precious moments with her, talking about the brother that he had betrayed. But for Sif, he was willing to put his own feelings aside and be comforting. "I know Thor. He is loyal to a fault." Shifting his body forward away from the tree, Loki laid down and stared up at the stars. "He won't leave for too long."

Again, to his surprise, Sif copied his movements and joined him laying on the grass. "I think that you should explain why you came to me." It was an obvious attempt to change the subject, but he could tell that some of her tension had eased with his words.

A moment passed in silence while Loki considered the best way to respond to her question. "I have buried it for so long - my deep, dark secret. Not even Thor knew."

"Not even Thor knew what?" Sif prompted when he fell silent.

It was hard for him to admit. He didn't like being vulnerable, not even to the woman that had captured his heart so many years ago. "That I admired you more than anyone else." Those words were forced out in a hoarse whisper and he wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Oh," she exclaimed softly.

Silence fell between them. Loki's emotions were going crazy, wishing that he knew what she was thinking, but years of practice had taught him not to let any of it show. He was an expert at hiding his vulnerable spots.

Slipping his hand into his pocket, Loki fingered a small golden ball with his fingers. The timing felt right - end the conversation on this note. But he didn't want to. He wanted to lie here forever with Sif next to him, learning about each other. It took all of his self-control to pull the small object out and use his magic to trap the memory of their conversation.

_Five. A good amount of evidence._

About to remove his cloak from over top of her peaceful form, he paused. The deep emerald complemented her skin and dark hair, and he just couldn't bear to leave her in the cold.

_She'll have some questions when she wakes up, but it will all be explained soon. _"I promise."

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_Please review!_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Thanks for all of your support during this fic - I really hope that you enjoyed it!_

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Pacing was supposed to be therapeutic - at least according to the Midgardians. But it wasn't. Not in the slightest.

_Today is the day. _

In his left hand, he held the clear vial, five luminescent golden spheres contained therein. Today, he was going to throw caution to the wind and take a chance. A chance for happiness.

...

"Lady Sif." Loki was leaning casually up against the wall outside of Sif's chambers, waiting for her to emerge. His nerves were carefully concealed under his cold facade, hidden deep where no person could ever detect them.

"Loki." Her instincts always at the ready, she attacked almost before he had finished his greeting.

Ready for her, he grabbed the fist heading straight for his face with one pale hand. "I packed a picnic breakfast. Care to join me?" He gestured with his free hand to a sack on the floor at his feet, not releasing her.

Suspicion coloured Sif's voice as she tried to pull away. "Why?"  
"I'll explain. Trust me." Deliberately, he uncurled his fingers from around her wrist in a gesture of his good intentions.

"I can't."

Controlling the flicker of disappointment at her rational, though unsatisfactory response, Loki forced a grin. "Then don't. But come anyways."

"Why should I?"

"I wouldn't dare speak for your motivation, but some options are my sparkling wit, my handsome features, or just plain curiosity. Take your pick."

He saw her fight to keep her scowl. "Curiosity, then."

"Suit yourself." The walk to their destination was silent, which was fine for Loki's purposes. He was too nervous to want to make small talk or contend with her sharp mind.

Finally, they arrived at a small courtyard, buried in the depths of the abandoned section of the palace. It had been used long ago, but now was no longer necessary and had thus fallen into a state of disuse. "Do you remember this place?" Loki asked, drinking in the amazed look on her face.

"I think so. We used to play here as kids, didn't we?"

Satisfied at her recognition, Loki smiled. "Yes, we did." They set up the picnic under a large tree - a tree that Sif and Thor had climbed many times while Loki watched anxiously, ready to run for help if one of them were to fall. Sif still kept her distance from him - honestly, Loki couldn't blame her. Not after all he had done before realizing that he wanted something even more than he wanted power.

Turning to face her, Loki let his facade fall and his features become earnest. "Sif, I have some things to return to you. That's why I brought you here." He pulled out the vial containing the five golden spheres, watching her warily, hoping that she would stay to hear him out. Her features remained impassive - wariness showed in her eyes, however.

Loki pulled out the first ball and blew gently on it, watching the stream of consciousness float back to Sif. Gasping, she straightened and her eyes glazed over. She was remembering their battle and their conversation, their connection that night he had first appeared to her.

The second sphere dissolved at his will, and she remembered a strange dream; a dream where she had helped Loki overcome his guilt over his past and make a clean slate for the future.

The third memory returned, sadness accompanying it. The snowglobe - a present from Frigga to a lonely Loki, a treasured gift from his now dead mother.

Forth, she remembered her blue ribbon; the one that he had kept in his possession for all those years as a symbol of his affection for her.

And finally, Loki released the fifth memory. The memory of his confession - that he truly cared for her.

Silence reigned as she processed all the memories that had literally come rushing back. Hardly daring to breathe, Loki watched every emotion flit across her face. Shock. Compassion. Outrage. Anger. Happiness. Then a soft quality that gave him hope that she might not hate him, that they could have a future together..

"I wanted to prove to you that I've changed. I've left the past behind." Daring to interrupt the silence, Loki pleaded with her, baring his soul in a way he had never done before. "I need you to know that."

She reached out and took his hand in her firm grasp, her skin soft against his. "I do know that, Loki. I think I always knew that, deep down, you were not the monster everyone was convinced you were."

"I have a long path ahead of me if I'm to prove that to anyone else," he remarked, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his lips.

"But you won't be alone. Not anymore." Sif smiled at him. A real smile. And that thrilled him. He had always admired her, and at last he had his chance.

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_Thanks for making it to the end - I hope you liked it =). Please review!_

_~Caitlin51_


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